And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
1 Samuel 17:26
Perhaps no other Bible story has given rise to as many retellings, reimaginings, interpretations and applications as the story of David and Goliath. It is a powerful tale of an underdog overcoming impossible odds with nothing but a sling and a stone, and an unshakable faith in the living God.
To be sure, this verse is one of my all-time favorites; I can hear David spitting the words with utter disdain and incredulity. I love the bold declaration of faith. But I wonder if we have romanticized the underdog to the point where the more powerful truths are lost?
If you don’t remember the details, you can read in 1 Samuel 17. Let me highlight a few of the key points that I draw from the story.
This was not David’s fight. Israel had a king, Saul, who had proven himself a valiant warrior and had led the nation to many victories. Saul and the army were gathered for battle against the Philistines once more. David was not a soldier, not part of the army. He wasn’t really supposed to be there. His father had sent him to bring supplies to his older brothers; he delivered them and his brothers told him to go home. He could have walked away, without shame. No one expected anything more of David.
David was looking for a reward. Today many believe that we should do everything altruistically, but the Bible is clear that God rewards those who seek him (Heb 11:6). Jesus taught in depth about reward in Matthew 6. Some twist these promises into a “prosperity gospel,” dangling health, wealth, and prosperity before their followers; this is wrong. Nevertheless, the perversion of a truth does not change that truth. God offers rewards to His followers.
David walked up to greet his brothers about the time Goliath came out to taunt Israel and all the soldiers ran away and were talking about what the king had offered in reward to the man who defeated him: wealth, the king’s daughter in marriage, and tax exemption for life to that man’s family (1 Sam 17:25). This was enough to entice anyone.
Consider the offer:
- Great riches – an instant lure.
- Marriage to the king’s daughter – in David’s world, marriage wasn’t a love story; it was a political contract that bound families together, forging a powerful alliance with the throne.
- “His father’s house free in Israel” – exemption from all taxes or conscriptions.
In total, this would be quite a boon for the youngest of seven sons to bring home. All he had to do? Defeat a giant.
David viewed Goliath in proper perspective. It’s not that David didn’t understand that Goliath was a giant, skilled in war, impressive in stature and terrifying in power. It’s more that David saw beyond that.
When Saul tried to talk David out of a suicide mission, David explained his confidence. While keeping his father’s sheep, he “ruled” over them. He was responsible for leading them to pastures to feed, water to drink, and generally keeping them safe (see Psalm 23). He wasn’t a thrill-seeker, taking on wild animals for kicks. Lions and bears were free to live their lives, just as long as they didn’t try to eat David’s sheep. When they did, he struck them down.
David saw Goliath as just another threat, but this time to God’s flock. You can almost hear the contempt as he says,
“Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”
1 Samuel 17:36
David was passionate for God’s glory. In the same breath as he reviles Goliath, you hear his voice swell with pride for “the armies of the living God.” David spent countless boring hours in solitude, watching sheep graze. He used this time to meditate on the Law and sing songs of worship.
He grew up listening to the stories of the Exodus, when God moved in power to deliver Israel out of Egypt; how He sustained them through their rebellion in the wilderness; and then in power He caused them to conquer the promised land. He’d heard the stories of Deborah, Gideon, Samson, and the other judges; how each time Israel sinned and fell under oppression, God raised up an unlikely deliverer to rescue them and demonstrate His power.
David knew that God had chosen Israel as His special possession. He also knew that God is jealous. While He would not tolerate Israel’s divided affections, neither would He suffer insult to His Name. Goliath may have thought he was defying Saul and Israel, but David knew that to defy Israel was to defy the God who called them. His heart burned with anger at this offense. If the lion and bear defied his watch care, who was this outsider to defy God’s?
David was confident in God’s ability. David didn’t have an overinflated view of his military prowess. He stood no chance in a fair fight. However, he had no intention of fighting fair.
And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”
1 Samuel 17:37
David knew that through God’s power he could prevail over the giant. Just as this young man had no business killing lions and bears with his simple shepherd weapons, he was a fool to run up to this battle hardened giant, wielding a sling and a stone. Except for one thing: David knew that the hand of the Lord was upon him.
Samuel had secretly anointed David as the next king of Israel. Perhaps when he killed lions and bears he had felt the Spirit of the Lord on him (as Samson did); we don’t know. What we do know is that David walked in the assurance that God would accomplish his purposes. Eventually that purpose was for David to become king, but right now God wanted to defeat the Philistines to the glory of His Name (Ps 76:7).
The rest, as they say, is history. David struck down Goliath and cut off his head with his own massive sword. The army of Israel routed the Philistines and David’s ascension began.
What are the lessons we should take away from this story? There are some do’s and some don’ts that come to mind:
- Don’t embrace the popular meme that every underdog should win against every giant. There are plenty of stories of failure in scripture; don’t push the text beyond what it says.
- Don’t go looking for giants. When Satan tempted Jesus to throw himself off the tower so angels would save him (Luke 4:9-12), Jesus said, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Not every battle should be fought just because you can.
- Don’t be afraid of a reward. This sounds like a negative, but it’s really a positive. But do look for the right reward. There are rewards in heaven, even if we don’t fully know what they are. The highest reward is to know God more intimately. David’s rewards were earthly, but when you read the Psalms you realize how much more he desired God (Ps 84:10).
- Do see your obstacles and challenges in their proper perspective. No matter how big the giant before you, God is bigger. The children’s song says, “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing that He cannot do.” Whatever you look at gets bigger. Instead of focusing on the size of the giant, focus on the awesomeness of God.
- Do seek the glory of God above all else. David was not trying to promote himself, to lay the groundwork for his campaign to become king. God is passionate for His glory; there is nothing He desires more (Is 42:8). David knew this, and was jealous for God.
Whether you win or lose, live or die (Dan 3:15-18), exalt God above all things. And who knows? You just might see a giant fall.